Redefining home with renewed possibilities.

We walk alongside people from across the globe as they make a new home in the United States.
Our work of welcome embraces and empowers New Americans with restored hope for a better tomorrow.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is the largest faith-based nonprofit dedicated to serving immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the United States.

With decades of experience supporting immigrants and refugees, LIRS is well-equipped to welcome those who have faced conflict and persecution. Our team has developed an incredible slate of innovative programs and services to support and empower New Americans. Through the years, that expertise has impacted and continues to influence public policy in the best interests of those we serve.

What We Do

Restoring a sense of home for people and families who’ve had to leave theirs.

We believe in the Long Welcome.
Our programs engage in the long-term work of creating safer, more rewarding realities for all New Americans.

Many immigrants and refugees arrive in the United States with nothing more than the bags they could carry, and resettling is about far more than just finding a place to live. LIRS is committed to walking alongside newcomers as they become valued and empowered members of our community. We do this by helping them find a place to live, connect with services and resources, learn a new language, enroll in school, and meet a new community.

From there, we work with individuals and families to build a strong economic foundation, from financial literacy to employment and job search assistance. We also connect with local employers to build positive hiring and workplace relationships.

Mission and Impact

Driven by the belief in human dignity and the intrinsic value of every individual.

For more than 80 years, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has provided the resources, guidance, and community to help forge a way forward for New Americans. We’re committed to helping people reimagine the possibilities while providing a soft place to land. 

With more than 1,000 partners and 50,000 volunteers, we are the largest faith-based national nonprofit exclusively dedicated to helping restore a sense of home to immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Since 1939, we’ve built a legacy of compassion by walking alongside more than 750,000 new neighbors as they rebuild their lives in the United States.

Mission
Fostering a world of just and welcoming communities.

Redefine home with?renewed possibilities.
With your help, we support and empower immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees who are rebuilding their lives in the United States.

Since 1939, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) has provided welcome and hope to more than three quarters of a million refugees. We are transforming lives and empowering New Americans with support and resources to begin anew. Our legacy of compassionate service has made a difference in the lives of more than 750,000 people who have sought safety and hope in America’s communities. Our history reflects our own deep immigrant roots and passionate commitment to welcoming newcomers, especially those who are most in need.

Join the Work of Welcome

Employment with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service offers a chance to change the world. Whether working face-to-face with New Americans or behind the scenes upholding standards of service, advocating for just policies, or providing technical and logistical support, LIRS staff members make a profound difference in the lives of refugees, immigrants, and the communities in which they live.

LIRS prides ourselves on offering a supportive, engaging work environment with a diverse group of committed colleagues passionate about making a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

We invite you to invest in a career of changing lives by joining Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service’s work of welcome.

Our Core Values

• Welcome: Honoring the humanity in every individual and family, we provide the steps that lead the way forward for refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers.
• Prophetic Witness: We stand up for justice and equity by being a bold voice and advocate for treating people with grace, kindness, and compassion.
• Integrity: In service to refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers, we’re committed to maintaining our moral, economic, and political integrity.
• Innovation: Continuous learning and growing in pursuit of new perspectives and fresh ways to embrace and engage our growing communities.
• Interdependence: Our network of diverse partners, groups, and organizations allows us to amplify our reach and impact.